February 29 ~ Psalm 107:17
Some of you were sick because you'd lived a bad life, your bodies feeling the effects of your sin; You couldn't stand the sight of food, so miserable you thought you'd be better off dead. Then you called out to God in your desperate condition; he got you out in the nick of time. He spoke the word that healed you, that pulled you back from the brink of death. So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves; Offer thanksgiving sacrifices, tell the world what he's done - sing it out!
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
We’ve all seen movies or television shows where someone falls out of a window, off a cliff or from the side of a bridge, and in the nick of time, someone comes along and extends a hand to save them. Through the wonders of technology, it may appear that the person who is being rescued might indeed fall to his/her death – television and film makers are quite adept at making us believe the situation is quite dire. But usually the victim is saved at the last possible moment, and we heave a huge sigh of relief as the rescuer is thanked and lauded as a hero or heroine.
In real life, God often saves us from the edge - sometimes several times a day! But do we recognize His efforts on our behalf? Do we stop to thank Him for this mercy, this grace, this “marvelous love”? Do we show our gratitude by sharing our blessings with others and trying to live better each day than the last? Do we learn from our “near-death experiences” and live a life that shows others we have been healed by God of whatever ails us?
There is not a single one of us who deserves God’s love and healing. None of us deserves His grace and mercy. Not one of us deserves to be rescued from the “window ledge” of sickness or sin. But God continues to lavish His love and healing on us, night and day. The least we can do is to thank Him and do our best to live a life of gratitude. We must share His message with others and tell them how God has blessed, healed and rescued us. In the words of John Wesley, we must “do all the good we can, by all the means we can, in all the ways we can, in all the places we can, at all the times we can, to all the people we can, as long as ever we can!” Go with God and be well.
©2008 Debbie Robus
----------------------------------------------------------------
February 28 ~ Psalm 103:3
He forgives your sins - every one. He heals your diseases - every one. He redeems you from hell - saves your life! He crowns you with love and mercy - a paradise crown. He wraps you in goodness - beauty eternal. He renews your youth - you're always young in his presence.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I don’t know about you, but I think I may work on committing this scripture passage to memory. The next time someone asks me, “why do you believe in God – what has He done for you?” I can answer with these sentences. This is POWERFUL! In fact, we would all do well to read ALL of Psalm 103 and commit much of it to memory. This is the passage that tells us that God is slow to anger and full of love… that He scatters our sins as far as east is from west (or as The Message translates “as far as sunrise is from sunset, He has scattered our sins.”
Sometimes, healing of whatever ails us starts with praising God. We rush to the medicine cabinet for an aspirin or cough syrup or whatever we need for our illness. We call a friend, a pastor, or a counselor to help us with issues of the heart or the mind - or questions about our Spiritual life. While these are all helpful remedies – and may be God-sent, there is another component to the equation we must consider. Sometimes, before we can heal, we have to stop and remind ourselves of Who God is and what He has done for us… how powerful He is and how much He loves us.
So please pick up your Bible or go to www.biblegateway.com and read Psalm 103 in whatever translation you choose – or maybe two or three! Commit at least a part of it to memory and call on these verses as needed.
©2008 Debbie Robus
-------------------------------------------------------------
February 27 ~ Psalm 77:2
I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord; my life was an open wound that wouldn't heal. When friends said, "Everything will turn out all right," I didn't believe a word they said. I remember God - and shake my head. I bow my head - then wring my hands. I'm awake all night - not a wink of sleep; I can't even say what's bothering me. I go over the days one by one, I ponder the years gone by. I strum my lute all through the night, wondering how to get my life together.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Have you ever had a night like this? I don’t know why our problems loom larger at night, but somehow they seem to do just that, don’t they?! And if you have ever had a cut or open wound that seemed to take forever to heal, you know how annoying and frustrating that can be, as well.
I think we need to review the first line of this scripture passage. “I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord…” When we have a problem… a “wound that won’t heal” – we would do well to go looking for the Lord. Throughout the Psalms we read that God is our “hiding place” – “a very present help in trouble” – our “refuge.” So why wring our hands and worry all night about how to get our life together? Look for the Lord. The friends of the psalmist are right – “everything WILL turn out all right” if only we will rest in God and ask Him to heal us.
©2008 Debbie Robus
-------------------------------------------------
February 26 ~ Psalm 69:29
I'm hurt and in pain; Give me space for healing, and mountain air.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Sometimes we just need a good dose of fresh air, don’t we? Sometimes, when we feel really bad, we wish we could whisk away to the mountains and play in the snow and forget all our troubles. I am reminded of my brother, Tim, and a time when he was very ill and in the later stages of his life. It was probably late August or early September before he died, and Tim had good days and bad days. This was a particularly bad one. I was sitting with him and trying to soothe him as he lay in his bed, covered with quilts even though it was a hot summer day.
When I arrived at my parents’ house, my mother was working in the yard – mowing, trimming, and no doubt, taking her frustrations out on the grass and shrubbery. It wasn’t mountain air, but it was healing therapy nonetheless. Inside, my brother begged me to “go and get Momma. I need Momma.” So I did, and my mom peeled off her work gloves, dusted the grass clippings from her clothing, and came inside. She went to my brother’s bedside and he began to cry and beg her to take him on a trip.
My parents and my brother had spent the summer in the Dakotas, out West in Montana, Idaho, Yellowstone National Park, and Colorado. This was heaven on earth for Tim, who absolutely loved snow, and he had seen quite a bit that summer. But in his declining health, he wanted more. He begged my mother to take him for “one more time in the snow.” Mother promised that IF Tim was able and felt up to it, they would take a fall trip – possibly to one of the local camping areas or even to Branson, but that she doubted there would be any snow. This seemed to satisfy Tim, and soon he was dozing and I continued to sit with him so that Mother could return to the yard and her own momentary “healing air.”
I am sure that there is snow in heaven, and Tim revels in it daily. I am sure he breathes deeply of mountain air, and I know he is healed – whole now. But I also know that God offers us times of healing and “mountain air” in our own lives. It may be as simple as sitting on your back porch and watching birds at a feeder. It may be as complicated as a doctor’s plan and prescription for management of your chronic pain. It may be the prayers of others on your behalf that you would find peace and comfort in whatever your situation may be. Whatever you are going through – wherever you are today, I pray that you will call on God and give Him your “hurts and pains,” and experience His healing and some Godly “mountain air.”
©2008 Debbie Robus
--------------------------------------------------------------------
February 25 ~ 3 John 1:1
The Pastor, to my good friend Gaius: How truly I love you! We're the best of friends, and I pray for good fortune in everything you do, and for your good health—that your everyday affairs prosper, as well as your soul! I was most happy when some friends arrived and brought the news that you persist in following the way of Truth. Nothing could make me happier than getting reports that my children continue diligently in the way of Truth!
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
There is a wonderful website available to people who are experiencing health difficulties. It is called CaringBridge.org, and anyone with an ongoing illness or injury can get a “page” on this website to chronicle their journey. I am presently watching four such “pages” – for Job McCully, a teacher friend’s daughter who was seriously injured in a car wreck, the teaching pal of one of my dearest friends, and a 5-year-old girl who has been diagnosed with a form of lymphoma. The families of these persons can post updates on their CaringBridge page to report on their latest treatments, progresses, setbacks, and more. It saves having to tell the story over and over to those who are concerned. There are also places for those who care to leave comments and words of encouragement – a “guestbook” to sign.
CaringBridge is supported by donations, and the work they do for those in need is truly God-sent. I am notified by e-mail when there is an update to these pages, and it often makes my day to go to the person’s “page” and learn that they had a good day, or their treatment was successful, or in Job’s case, that he got new lungs! Of course, some days, the news isn’t so bright, and that’s when I know extra prayer is needed. But these updates always remind me to pray for the persons involved – and for their families and caregivers.
Do you pray for the health of your family and friends? Do you know those who have health concerns and need extra prayer? Do you know those who have “Spiritual health” concerns and need your prayers, also? Look around at your “circle” and see where you can offer the medicine of prayer for the health of others – both physical and otherwise.
©2008 Debbie Robus
----------------------------------------------------------------------
February 24 ~ 1 Peter 2:21
This is the kind of life you've been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step. He never did one thing wrong, Not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you're named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
The Overflow group for young adults did a study of Psalm 23 one Sunday, and we learned that sheep are really pretty dumb animals. And yet, WE are compared to sheep throughout the Bible! In our study, we also learned that sometimes there is a sheep that will continually wander away from the flock, and finally, the shepherd has to pick it up and actually break its leg, and then carry it until the leg heals, so that it will learn to stop wandering away.
In a way, Jesus breaks our leg and brings us back, but instead of US feeling the pain and suffering, HE takes that for us. We wander away (sin) – He brings us back and pays our debt with His blood on the cross. He doesn’t whine or complain or make us feel badly… He just loves us and does this for us and allows us to heal and enjoy His blessings.
It really isn’t fair, is it? Nowhere in earthly existence would we think that silent suffering of a perfect person (if one existed) for those who are imperfect was fair. And yet that is exactly what happened. Christ came to earth as THE ONE PERFECT PERSON and suffered, bled and died for OUR sins, so that we could be healed and whole – named and kept for good by the Shepherd of our souls. How awesome is that?! Do you see what a gift this is? Has He “broken your leg” and carried you in His arms, or are you still wandering aimlessly? Think about it! Don’t you want to be in the arms of the Shepherd?
©2008 Debbie Robus
-------------------------------------------------
February 23 ~ 1 Peter 1:3
What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven - and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you'll have it all - life healed and whole.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
You may know about the actor, Stephen Baldwin. He is a brother to Alec and Billy Baldwin, both actors themselves. Stephen has appeared in over 60 films, including The Usual Suspects, The Flinstones in Viva Rock Vegas, television series Celebrity Mole Yucatan, Celebrity Mole Hawaii, and most recently Celebrity Apprentice. Shortly after 9-11, Stephen Baldwin became a Christian. Recently I saw him and his wife Kennya on a Christian television program. They talked about their life without Christ and how they really didn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus for many, many years.
The Baldwins hired a housekeeper from Brazil, and Kennya Baldwin said this woman was continually singing little songs about Jesus, and she was always happy. Eventually, the housekeeper moved to another state, but the Baldwins never forgot her… or her witness. Kennya began to feel that her life, while filled with “things” was rather dead spiritually. She became a Christian – one year before Stephen gave his life to Christ. Kennya said that God clearly revealed to her that, in time, Stephen would become a Christian, too. She told Stephen that she was going to serve God, no matter what, but at the same time, she faithfully believed that some day Stephen would serve God with her. Stephen said that when he saw the changes in his wife, he wanted them for himself.
Today, the Baldwins are involved in The Breakthrough Ministry, which utilizes skateboarding and extreme sports to reach people – especially youth - for Christ. They stated that their housekeeper told them that while she was still living in Brazil, she felt God telling her that she would be coming to the United States and placed with a family who needed to hear about Christ!
The Baldwins have a brand-new life – and a future in heaven because God orchestrated all of this. They have a healed and whole life in Christ. What God has done for them, He can do for anyone, including you! The future truly does start now… are you ready to have it all?
©2008 Debbie Robus
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 22 ~ James 5:13
Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you've sinned, you'll be forgiven - healed inside and out.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
My friend Boyd developed some sort of health problem a few years ago that caused his body to break out in itchy red blotches of hives that drove him crazy. If you have ever had hives, you know they itch, burn, hurt, and almost feel blistery at times, and they make you miserable! Different doctors suggested different causes and treatments…from eczema to allergies to stress. Boyd tried creams, special diets, antihistamines and more. His Sunday School leader and class members anointed him with oil and prayed for him.
Eventually, Boyd discovered a diet that worked for him… pretty much a “Biblical diet” of fresh fruits and vegetables, no pork and no sugar, for starters. As he adhered to this diet, his symptoms greatly diminished. BUT… they did not completely disappear.
One day a Christian friend of Boyd’s told him that He had been praying for Boyd’s condition, and James 5:13 had come to him, and it had been impressed upon him clearly that Boyd should be anointed with oil by senior leadership in his church. Boyd related this story to his pastor and associate pastor, and the pastor said, “Let’s do it now!” They went into the pastor’s office, and he anointed Boyd with oil, and both he and the associate pastor prayed over Boyd. And I am here to tell you, Boyd is feeling so much better today. His obedience and “believing-prayer” have helped to heal him. His friend’s obedience to the scripture and the message he received on Boyd’s behalf led to this improvement. The pastor’s obedience and faith led him and the associate pastor to stop what they were doing and anoint my friend with oil and prayer. And as a result of all of this, Jesus put Boyd back on his feet! He still has occasional flare-ups, but he knows that it is God’s intention for him to be well, and he remains faithful that God will keep him on his feet and guide his steps.
You can experience healing today for whatever ails you. It may not require anointing with oil by senior leadership. It may simply require believing-prayer. Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call on church leaders or Christian friends to pray for you. Ask for healing and/or forgiveness and be healed inside and out. Let Jesus put YOU on YOUR feet!
©2008 Debbie Robus
Healing Power - Week 3
February 21 ~ Colossians 2:18
Don't tolerate people who try to run your life, ordering you to bow and scrape, insisting that you join their obsession with angels and that you seek out visions. They're a lot of hot air, that's all they are. They're completely out of touch with the source of life, Christ, who puts us together in one piece, whose very breath and blood flow through us. He is the Head and we are the body. We can grow up healthy in God only as he nourishes us.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Have you seen that show “Crossing Over” where the psychic John Edwards talks to spirits who “show up” from the “other side”? He says he sees these spirits in his head as they stand near someone in the audience, and he will say something like “you had a little yellow kitten as a child, right?” and the person says, “oh… Fluffy!” and the psychic is off and running with some story that only that person is supposed to know. Or he will say, “I’m getting the sense that there was tension between you and a grandmother maybe, or a mother figure? Does this make sense?” And the person cries and says, “Yes, yes! That’s my Grandma Marie!” And he starts telling them things that Grandma Marie wants to say from the grave.
Look, I would love to talk to my dad and my brother and others who have passed away as much as the next person. But the truth is, that will not happen until I get to heaven. The Bible is clear on this. Spirits don’t visit us from heaven. Yes, God sends angels to minister to us – this is scriptural - but they are not the spirits of our deceased loved ones. I don’t know how the psychics get the information they claim to be “seeing,” but they are not seeing your loved ones, and putting stock in the things these people tell you is hogwash.
Talk to God. Ask Him to fill your head and heart, and to heal your grief and sadness. Ask Him to give you peace and comfort about your loved ones, and patience until you can see them again in heaven. Don’t get derailed with horoscopes, psychics who can see the future OR the past, Tarot cards, and more. Jesus is the answer! The Bible is the truth! God will tell you what you need to know! Focus on these things and let GOD’s angels minister to you in this life, not those conjured up in a human’s imagination!
©2008 Debbie Robus
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 20 ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3, 6
All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.
When we suffer for Jesus, it works out for your healing and salvation. If we are treated well, given a helping hand and encouraging word, that also works to your benefit, spurring you on, face forward, unflinching. Your hard times are also our hard times. When we see that you're just as willing to endure the hard times as to enjoy the good times, we know you're going to make it, no doubt about it.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I am so blessed, and I try to remember that! Some days, it’s hard, because I’m human, too… and the things that happen to me affect me just like anyone else. I don’t like to feel bad. I don’t like it when others are unkind or inconsiderate. I don’t like it when I experience a series of mishaps. But the more I study God’s word, the more I am learning to ask, “What are you trying to show me, Lord?” And that question is often just enough to generate an answer.
When my grandmother got a “bug” and had to be hospitalized and sent to a nursing home for rehab, I found myself in the middle of a lot more work – from completing papers to cleaning out her refrigerator to making frequent visits to check on her progress and visit with her and keeping her laundry done. And often, when we spent more than a little time together, her frustrations came out in the form of complaints and unpleasantness… and even an unkind remark or two. I knew she didn’t really mean to be hurtful, but since I am human, some of the incidences really stung!
In the midst of this experience, one of my dearest friends called one afternoon to “vent” about frustrations with her elderly mother – the struggle to care for her mom and keep all of her family responsibilities handled, AND to keep her sanity at the same time. Meanwhile, it had gotten back to her that her mother had said some rather unkind things about her – how she didn’t help her mother and how her mother felt my friend really didn’t care about her. Nothing could be further from the truth, but the comments really hurt this person. She asked, “How am I supposed to feel? What do I do about this?” And I said a prayer of thanks, because I had experienced much the same thing, and I knew what had gotten me through it. By sharing my experience, I was able to help my friend see some ways to cope with her own situation, and by the end of the conversation, she was feeling much better.
God won’t give us more than we can handle, but sometimes, I think He allows us to experience unpleasant or hurtful situations so that we can grow from them in Him and pass that experience on to others. As I learn to internalize that, I welcome some of the things I once despised or dreaded, because I know that God will never leave me, and He will show me how to use these things for His purpose. I can do all things through Christ, Who strengthens me. What about you?
©2008 Debbie Robus
--------------------------------------------------------
February 19 ~ 1 Corinthians 12:25, 27
The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don't, the parts we see and the parts we don't. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.
You are Christ's body—that's who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your "part" mean anything. You're familiar with some of the parts that God has formed in his church, which is his "body": apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers, healers, helpers, organizers, those who pray in tongues. But it's obvious by now, isn't it, that Christ's church is a complete Body and not a gigantic, unidimensional Part? It's not all Apostle, not all Prophet, not all Miracle Worker, not all Healer, not all Prayer in Tongues, not all Interpreter of Tongues. And yet some of you keep competing for so-called "important" parts. But now I want to lay out a far better way for you.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Have you ever had a sore toe or finger? You wouldn’t think something as small as a toe or a finger could make your whole body sick or sore, but it can! If your toe or thumb hurts, it seems like you feel it all over, doesn’t it?!A few years ago, the church my mother and grandmother attend – the church in which I was reared – had a terrible split. I listened as my grandmother and my great-aunt grieved over the hurt feelings, the unkind words, the ruined friendships, the lack of leadership, and ultimately, the loss of membership, including many families who had attended this church for generations. Sometimes, when there is trouble within a church, it stems from just a handful of people – or even one person who feels he/she is more important to the church at large than other members or even leaders. But the ramifications are almost never contained in a small group. We have all seen the results of pastoral “scandals” in some of the mega churches… and sadly these sometimes occur in smaller churches, too.
Just like our fingers and toes are integral parts of our body and affect our overall health and well-being, each and every member of a church affects the body as a whole. We celebrate together, we mourn together, we face struggles together, and we heal together. This is God’s plan for us as a church body. So if you know of people in your church who are hurting or in need, you are called by God to help them. If there is a crisis in your church, it is your responsibility as a Christian to do what you can to help resolve it… whether that means taking an active role or keeping your mouth shut! If there is a celebration, celebrate. If there is a need or an effort that your church is taking on, be there to support it however you can. If you are called to a role of leadership in the church, you are to be part of the team, not the “star!”
Don’t “stick out like a sore thumb.” As a child of God and a member of His church, do your part to keep the church body healthy. Be a team player – part of the “muscle” – and strengthen all of the others according to God’s plan.
©2008 Debbie Robus
---------------------------------------------
February 18 ~ Luke 8:1
He continued according to plan, traveled to town after town, village after village, preaching God's kingdom, spreading the Message. The Twelve were with him. There were also some women in their company who had been healed of various evil afflictions and illnesses: Mary, the one called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod's manager; and Susanna—along with many others who used their considerable means to provide for the company.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
What I want you to take away from this scripture passage is the fact that even many of those who followed Jesus and served with Him had been healed of various afflictions, from mental illness to corruption to prostitution and tax fraud. This is scriptural evidence that God can heal anybody of anything, and more importantly, it doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done, God can use you!
This is great news! It is also somewhat daunting, because we don’t have any excuses. We can’t hide behind our “issues” and sins and claim to be unworthy to serve, because this passage clearly shows us that God can heal everything and use everyone!
So get busy… ask God to help you clean up the messes in your life and heal the afflictions – mental and physical – that hold you back. Then “take up the cross and follow Jesus” and serve him with everything you’ve got!
©2008 Debbie Robus
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 17 ~ Luke 5:17
One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and religion teachers were sitting around. They had come from nearly every village in Galilee and Judea, even as far away as Jerusalem, to be there. The healing power of God was on him.
Luke 6:17
Coming down off the mountain with them, he stood on a plain surrounded by disciples, and was soon joined by a huge congregation from all over Judea and Jerusalem, even from the seaside towns of Tyre and Sidon. They had come both to hear him and to be cured of their ailments. Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed. Everyone was trying to touch him—so much energy surging from him, so many people healed! Then he spoke: You're blessed when you've lost it all. God's kingdom is there for the finding. You're blessed when you're ravenously hungry. Then you're ready for the Messianic meal. You're blessed when the tears flow freely. Joy comes with the morning.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
When I was in junior high school, I had braces on my teeth. I had a “David Letterman” gap between my front teeth and a huge overbite. On my first trip to the orthodontist, he decided I needed a “procedure” before the braces. In his words, it involved “snipping” a piece of gum tissue that grew down between my two front teeth. As “luck” would have it, there was an oral surgeon whose office was just around the corner from my orthodontist in downtown Little Rock, and he had an opening that very day, so off I went to have this procedure. The “little snipping” was oral surgery, complete with anesthetic shots, stitches, and pain medication afterward! This was not exactly what I had signed on for, and the end result of a pretty smile seemed questionable!
In the nearly two years that followed, I endured painful tightenings, rubber bands, shaping prosthetics that fit into the roof of my mouth, and a retainer. I had to give up chewing gum, certain hard and chewy candies, and other foods I enjoyed but couldn’t chew with the braces. And I had to suffer through two more oral surgeries to remove my wisdom teeth. I wondered if this would all be worth it… and I held onto the hope that it would, with the encouragement and assurance of my parents that I would like the outcome. In the end, my “smile” was so much better, and I am very glad that my parents made the efforts and financial sacrifices – and all of those trips to Little Rock – so that I could have a beautiful set of straightened teeth.
So often we know there are areas of our life that we need to ask God to heal, but we hesitate because we fear that the healing itself will involve some sort of pain… maybe the release of a bad habit that has become like an old friend. Maybe we fear physical withdrawal. Maybe we worry that “giving up” our sin or struggle will cause us to lose our friends and/or family. Jesus is reminding us that it will all be worth it. “If God takes you to it, He will take you through it” is so very true. Don’t be afraid. You will find that you really are not giving up anything, because when God heals you, He takes care of EVERYTHING… He fills ALL the gaps… anything you “sacrifice” will be restored in more ways than you can imagine. Go for it! See how freeing it can be to rest in Jesus… be healed and be blessed!
©2008 Debbie Robus
-----------------------------------------------------------------
February 16 ~ Acts 3:12
When Peter saw he had a congregation, he addressed the people: "Oh, Israelites, why does this take you by such complete surprise, and why stare at us as if our power or piety made him walk? The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his Son Jesus. The very One that Pilate called innocent, you repudiated. You repudiated the Holy One, the Just One, and asked for a murderer in his place. You no sooner killed the Author of Life than God raised him from the dead—and we're the witnesses. Faith in Jesus' name put this man, whose condition you know so well, on his feet—yes, faith and nothing but faith put this man healed and whole right before your eyes.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Have you ever noticed that we are often quick to blame God when things go wrong in our life… as in “why me, Lord?”… but when things go well, we have a hard time giving God credit? I think especially of children who are ill, like Job, and lots of people ask, “Why would God allow a child to suffer like that?” But when a miracle occurs, we often have a terribly hard time acknowledging in faith that God has done this!
After Job McCully’s lung transplant, he had to have weekly checks of his lungs for several weeks to make sure there was no rejection or infection. On one of these routine checks, the doctors poked a hole in Job’s lung. Evidently it’s a fairly common occurrence and is called a pneumothorax. This meant a setback in Job’s recovery by about a week, and reinsertion of a tube into Job’s chest. The next day, when the doctors did an examination, the hole was “gone,” and the tube wasn’t necessary. The doctors couldn’t figure it out and ended up declaring that there must have been a mistake and no hole to start with! I guess it’s just too much still for the medical community to write “miracle of God” in their reports!
I can’t count the times in the last year that Job’s mother has posted information about one concern or another and asked for specific prayer, and before you know it, the issue had resolved itself. But the best part is that, unlike Peter’s congregation, she is quick to acknowledge our Healer God and His responsibility for the turnaround. Her faith led her to ask for prayer on Job’s behalf, and her faith gave her confidence that God would answer and heal… and He did.
What about you? Are you a skeptic or a believer? How deep is your faith?
©2008 Debbie Robus
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 15 ~ Mark 5:34
Jesus said to her, "Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague."
Mark 10:52
"On your way," said Jesus. "Your faith has saved and healed you." In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I was talking to someone who is dealing with a long list of issues and challenges. She told me that she is just completely overwhelmed, and it seems when she can’t take any more, another issue arises. I told her that I feel certain that this is Spiritual warfare. She is making tremendous strides in her life… healing is taking place, and the devil is mad as all get out about it! This may be happening to you, too. You may be getting your life together in so many ways, and it seems at every turn you are being “slapped up side the head” with another issue or problem.
Please re-read these scriptures and understand that God has healed you and brought you through some things, and it is up to you to walk in faith that He will not let you slip now. Whatever the devil is throwing at you today, recognize it as just a feeble attempt on his part to recapture you or trip you up in your newfound walk. He pretty well left you alone when you weren’t following God’s plan for your life, but now he is losing his grip, and that makes him furious. He very well may even throw MORE trouble your way in the days and weeks ahead.
Keep the faith. Hold strong to Jesus and His healing power. Remember Who has brought you to this point, and have faith that He will continue to walk beside you each and every day!
©2008 Debbie Robus
Don't tolerate people who try to run your life, ordering you to bow and scrape, insisting that you join their obsession with angels and that you seek out visions. They're a lot of hot air, that's all they are. They're completely out of touch with the source of life, Christ, who puts us together in one piece, whose very breath and blood flow through us. He is the Head and we are the body. We can grow up healthy in God only as he nourishes us.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Have you seen that show “Crossing Over” where the psychic John Edwards talks to spirits who “show up” from the “other side”? He says he sees these spirits in his head as they stand near someone in the audience, and he will say something like “you had a little yellow kitten as a child, right?” and the person says, “oh… Fluffy!” and the psychic is off and running with some story that only that person is supposed to know. Or he will say, “I’m getting the sense that there was tension between you and a grandmother maybe, or a mother figure? Does this make sense?” And the person cries and says, “Yes, yes! That’s my Grandma Marie!” And he starts telling them things that Grandma Marie wants to say from the grave.
Look, I would love to talk to my dad and my brother and others who have passed away as much as the next person. But the truth is, that will not happen until I get to heaven. The Bible is clear on this. Spirits don’t visit us from heaven. Yes, God sends angels to minister to us – this is scriptural - but they are not the spirits of our deceased loved ones. I don’t know how the psychics get the information they claim to be “seeing,” but they are not seeing your loved ones, and putting stock in the things these people tell you is hogwash.
Talk to God. Ask Him to fill your head and heart, and to heal your grief and sadness. Ask Him to give you peace and comfort about your loved ones, and patience until you can see them again in heaven. Don’t get derailed with horoscopes, psychics who can see the future OR the past, Tarot cards, and more. Jesus is the answer! The Bible is the truth! God will tell you what you need to know! Focus on these things and let GOD’s angels minister to you in this life, not those conjured up in a human’s imagination!
©2008 Debbie Robus
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 20 ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3, 6
All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.
When we suffer for Jesus, it works out for your healing and salvation. If we are treated well, given a helping hand and encouraging word, that also works to your benefit, spurring you on, face forward, unflinching. Your hard times are also our hard times. When we see that you're just as willing to endure the hard times as to enjoy the good times, we know you're going to make it, no doubt about it.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I am so blessed, and I try to remember that! Some days, it’s hard, because I’m human, too… and the things that happen to me affect me just like anyone else. I don’t like to feel bad. I don’t like it when others are unkind or inconsiderate. I don’t like it when I experience a series of mishaps. But the more I study God’s word, the more I am learning to ask, “What are you trying to show me, Lord?” And that question is often just enough to generate an answer.
When my grandmother got a “bug” and had to be hospitalized and sent to a nursing home for rehab, I found myself in the middle of a lot more work – from completing papers to cleaning out her refrigerator to making frequent visits to check on her progress and visit with her and keeping her laundry done. And often, when we spent more than a little time together, her frustrations came out in the form of complaints and unpleasantness… and even an unkind remark or two. I knew she didn’t really mean to be hurtful, but since I am human, some of the incidences really stung!
In the midst of this experience, one of my dearest friends called one afternoon to “vent” about frustrations with her elderly mother – the struggle to care for her mom and keep all of her family responsibilities handled, AND to keep her sanity at the same time. Meanwhile, it had gotten back to her that her mother had said some rather unkind things about her – how she didn’t help her mother and how her mother felt my friend really didn’t care about her. Nothing could be further from the truth, but the comments really hurt this person. She asked, “How am I supposed to feel? What do I do about this?” And I said a prayer of thanks, because I had experienced much the same thing, and I knew what had gotten me through it. By sharing my experience, I was able to help my friend see some ways to cope with her own situation, and by the end of the conversation, she was feeling much better.
God won’t give us more than we can handle, but sometimes, I think He allows us to experience unpleasant or hurtful situations so that we can grow from them in Him and pass that experience on to others. As I learn to internalize that, I welcome some of the things I once despised or dreaded, because I know that God will never leave me, and He will show me how to use these things for His purpose. I can do all things through Christ, Who strengthens me. What about you?
©2008 Debbie Robus
--------------------------------------------------------
February 19 ~ 1 Corinthians 12:25, 27
The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don't, the parts we see and the parts we don't. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.
You are Christ's body—that's who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your "part" mean anything. You're familiar with some of the parts that God has formed in his church, which is his "body": apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers, healers, helpers, organizers, those who pray in tongues. But it's obvious by now, isn't it, that Christ's church is a complete Body and not a gigantic, unidimensional Part? It's not all Apostle, not all Prophet, not all Miracle Worker, not all Healer, not all Prayer in Tongues, not all Interpreter of Tongues. And yet some of you keep competing for so-called "important" parts. But now I want to lay out a far better way for you.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Have you ever had a sore toe or finger? You wouldn’t think something as small as a toe or a finger could make your whole body sick or sore, but it can! If your toe or thumb hurts, it seems like you feel it all over, doesn’t it?!A few years ago, the church my mother and grandmother attend – the church in which I was reared – had a terrible split. I listened as my grandmother and my great-aunt grieved over the hurt feelings, the unkind words, the ruined friendships, the lack of leadership, and ultimately, the loss of membership, including many families who had attended this church for generations. Sometimes, when there is trouble within a church, it stems from just a handful of people – or even one person who feels he/she is more important to the church at large than other members or even leaders. But the ramifications are almost never contained in a small group. We have all seen the results of pastoral “scandals” in some of the mega churches… and sadly these sometimes occur in smaller churches, too.
Just like our fingers and toes are integral parts of our body and affect our overall health and well-being, each and every member of a church affects the body as a whole. We celebrate together, we mourn together, we face struggles together, and we heal together. This is God’s plan for us as a church body. So if you know of people in your church who are hurting or in need, you are called by God to help them. If there is a crisis in your church, it is your responsibility as a Christian to do what you can to help resolve it… whether that means taking an active role or keeping your mouth shut! If there is a celebration, celebrate. If there is a need or an effort that your church is taking on, be there to support it however you can. If you are called to a role of leadership in the church, you are to be part of the team, not the “star!”
Don’t “stick out like a sore thumb.” As a child of God and a member of His church, do your part to keep the church body healthy. Be a team player – part of the “muscle” – and strengthen all of the others according to God’s plan.
©2008 Debbie Robus
---------------------------------------------
February 18 ~ Luke 8:1
He continued according to plan, traveled to town after town, village after village, preaching God's kingdom, spreading the Message. The Twelve were with him. There were also some women in their company who had been healed of various evil afflictions and illnesses: Mary, the one called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod's manager; and Susanna—along with many others who used their considerable means to provide for the company.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
What I want you to take away from this scripture passage is the fact that even many of those who followed Jesus and served with Him had been healed of various afflictions, from mental illness to corruption to prostitution and tax fraud. This is scriptural evidence that God can heal anybody of anything, and more importantly, it doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done, God can use you!
This is great news! It is also somewhat daunting, because we don’t have any excuses. We can’t hide behind our “issues” and sins and claim to be unworthy to serve, because this passage clearly shows us that God can heal everything and use everyone!
So get busy… ask God to help you clean up the messes in your life and heal the afflictions – mental and physical – that hold you back. Then “take up the cross and follow Jesus” and serve him with everything you’ve got!
©2008 Debbie Robus
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 17 ~ Luke 5:17
One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and religion teachers were sitting around. They had come from nearly every village in Galilee and Judea, even as far away as Jerusalem, to be there. The healing power of God was on him.
Luke 6:17
Coming down off the mountain with them, he stood on a plain surrounded by disciples, and was soon joined by a huge congregation from all over Judea and Jerusalem, even from the seaside towns of Tyre and Sidon. They had come both to hear him and to be cured of their ailments. Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed. Everyone was trying to touch him—so much energy surging from him, so many people healed! Then he spoke: You're blessed when you've lost it all. God's kingdom is there for the finding. You're blessed when you're ravenously hungry. Then you're ready for the Messianic meal. You're blessed when the tears flow freely. Joy comes with the morning.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
When I was in junior high school, I had braces on my teeth. I had a “David Letterman” gap between my front teeth and a huge overbite. On my first trip to the orthodontist, he decided I needed a “procedure” before the braces. In his words, it involved “snipping” a piece of gum tissue that grew down between my two front teeth. As “luck” would have it, there was an oral surgeon whose office was just around the corner from my orthodontist in downtown Little Rock, and he had an opening that very day, so off I went to have this procedure. The “little snipping” was oral surgery, complete with anesthetic shots, stitches, and pain medication afterward! This was not exactly what I had signed on for, and the end result of a pretty smile seemed questionable!
In the nearly two years that followed, I endured painful tightenings, rubber bands, shaping prosthetics that fit into the roof of my mouth, and a retainer. I had to give up chewing gum, certain hard and chewy candies, and other foods I enjoyed but couldn’t chew with the braces. And I had to suffer through two more oral surgeries to remove my wisdom teeth. I wondered if this would all be worth it… and I held onto the hope that it would, with the encouragement and assurance of my parents that I would like the outcome. In the end, my “smile” was so much better, and I am very glad that my parents made the efforts and financial sacrifices – and all of those trips to Little Rock – so that I could have a beautiful set of straightened teeth.
So often we know there are areas of our life that we need to ask God to heal, but we hesitate because we fear that the healing itself will involve some sort of pain… maybe the release of a bad habit that has become like an old friend. Maybe we fear physical withdrawal. Maybe we worry that “giving up” our sin or struggle will cause us to lose our friends and/or family. Jesus is reminding us that it will all be worth it. “If God takes you to it, He will take you through it” is so very true. Don’t be afraid. You will find that you really are not giving up anything, because when God heals you, He takes care of EVERYTHING… He fills ALL the gaps… anything you “sacrifice” will be restored in more ways than you can imagine. Go for it! See how freeing it can be to rest in Jesus… be healed and be blessed!
©2008 Debbie Robus
-----------------------------------------------------------------
February 16 ~ Acts 3:12
When Peter saw he had a congregation, he addressed the people: "Oh, Israelites, why does this take you by such complete surprise, and why stare at us as if our power or piety made him walk? The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his Son Jesus. The very One that Pilate called innocent, you repudiated. You repudiated the Holy One, the Just One, and asked for a murderer in his place. You no sooner killed the Author of Life than God raised him from the dead—and we're the witnesses. Faith in Jesus' name put this man, whose condition you know so well, on his feet—yes, faith and nothing but faith put this man healed and whole right before your eyes.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Have you ever noticed that we are often quick to blame God when things go wrong in our life… as in “why me, Lord?”… but when things go well, we have a hard time giving God credit? I think especially of children who are ill, like Job, and lots of people ask, “Why would God allow a child to suffer like that?” But when a miracle occurs, we often have a terribly hard time acknowledging in faith that God has done this!
After Job McCully’s lung transplant, he had to have weekly checks of his lungs for several weeks to make sure there was no rejection or infection. On one of these routine checks, the doctors poked a hole in Job’s lung. Evidently it’s a fairly common occurrence and is called a pneumothorax. This meant a setback in Job’s recovery by about a week, and reinsertion of a tube into Job’s chest. The next day, when the doctors did an examination, the hole was “gone,” and the tube wasn’t necessary. The doctors couldn’t figure it out and ended up declaring that there must have been a mistake and no hole to start with! I guess it’s just too much still for the medical community to write “miracle of God” in their reports!
I can’t count the times in the last year that Job’s mother has posted information about one concern or another and asked for specific prayer, and before you know it, the issue had resolved itself. But the best part is that, unlike Peter’s congregation, she is quick to acknowledge our Healer God and His responsibility for the turnaround. Her faith led her to ask for prayer on Job’s behalf, and her faith gave her confidence that God would answer and heal… and He did.
What about you? Are you a skeptic or a believer? How deep is your faith?
©2008 Debbie Robus
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 15 ~ Mark 5:34
Jesus said to her, "Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague."
Mark 10:52
"On your way," said Jesus. "Your faith has saved and healed you." In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I was talking to someone who is dealing with a long list of issues and challenges. She told me that she is just completely overwhelmed, and it seems when she can’t take any more, another issue arises. I told her that I feel certain that this is Spiritual warfare. She is making tremendous strides in her life… healing is taking place, and the devil is mad as all get out about it! This may be happening to you, too. You may be getting your life together in so many ways, and it seems at every turn you are being “slapped up side the head” with another issue or problem.
Please re-read these scriptures and understand that God has healed you and brought you through some things, and it is up to you to walk in faith that He will not let you slip now. Whatever the devil is throwing at you today, recognize it as just a feeble attempt on his part to recapture you or trip you up in your newfound walk. He pretty well left you alone when you weren’t following God’s plan for your life, but now he is losing his grip, and that makes him furious. He very well may even throw MORE trouble your way in the days and weeks ahead.
Keep the faith. Hold strong to Jesus and His healing power. Remember Who has brought you to this point, and have faith that He will continue to walk beside you each and every day!
©2008 Debbie Robus
Healing Power - Week 2
February 14 ~ Matthew 9:35
Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. "What a huge harvest!" he said to his disciples. "How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!"
Matthew 10:5
Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge: "Don't begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don't try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I try to walk at least two miles every day. If the weather is nice, I like to walk outside on a trail near my house. While I am walking, I often pray. On any given day I have a long, long list of people/situations to talk to God about, and the two miles passes really fast. God reveals Himself to me during these “walking prayer sessions,” and He often steers me toward a certain train of thought. Sometimes it is those who are sick and grieving. Sometimes it is toward a personal struggle I am having. Sometimes it is toward world situations or national issues.
But the overriding theme God keeps bringing to me is the tremendous need “in my own back yard.” Sure, He wants me to care about issues that affect our nation and those in other countries. Sure, He wants me to be concerned with missions worldwide. But He also wants me to realize that there are a lot of people within our own local circle – family, friends, neighbors – who need our prayers and our ministry. You’ve heard people say, “Not everyone is called to be a missionary to Africa,” and that is so true. I think quite often we get so caught up in the “big picture” on a broad scale that we forget there are people/situations in our own little circle that need our attention.
So look around your own neighborhood. Pay attention and see what is right in front of you. Look for chances to help your family, your friends, your neighbors, your community. “Charity starts at home,” is a very true phrase… and more importantly, it is scriptural in basis. Get busy helping locally and serving God at home, and see where He leads you. This Valentine’s Day, love your neighbor and share God’s love with those who surround you.
©2008 Debbie Robus
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
A valentine may play a love song for you, but God sings you the sweetest love song in the universe.
THE LORD YOUR GOD...WILL REJOICE OVER YOU WITH GLADNESS, HE WILL QUIET YOU WITH HIS LOVE, HE WILL REJOICE OVER YOU WITH SINGING. ZEPHANIAH 3:17
A valentine may give you flowers, but God sent you the most beautiful rose of all, Jesus.
I AM THE ROSE OF SHARON, AND THE LILY OF THE VALLEYS. SONG OF SOLOMON 2:1
A valentine may take you out to dinner, but God has invited you to the most amazing feast ever given.
BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE CALLED TO THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB. REVELATION 19:9
A valentine may bring you chocolate, but God provides you with something even sweeter, His Word.
HOW SWEET ARE YOUR WORDS TO MY TASTE, SWEETER THEN HONEY TO MY MOUTH. PSALM 119:103
A valentine may be far away, but God is always with you.
I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS. MATTHEW 28:20
A valentine may give you something, but God has given you everything.
GOD...GIVES US RICHLY ALL THINGS TO ENJOY. 1TIMOTHY 6:17
A valentine may love you for a lifetime, but God loved you before you were born and He will love you for all eternity!
YES, I LOVED YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE... WITH LOVINGKINDNESS I HAVE DRAWN YOU. JEREMIAH 31:3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 13 ~ Matthew 8:1
Jesus came down the mountain with the cheers of the crowd still ringing in his ears. Then a leper appeared and went to his knees before Jesus, praying, "Master, if you want to, you can heal my body."Matthew 8:3Jesus reached out and touched him, saying, "I want to. Be clean." Then and there, all signs of the leprosy were gone. Jesus said, "Don't talk about this all over town. Just quietly present your healed body to the priest, along with the appropriate expressions of thanks to God. Your cleansed and grateful life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done."Matthew 8:7Jesus said, "I'll come and heal him."
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Let’s say someone drinks and drives and ends up in a terrible car wreck. By all rights, they should have been killed, but miraculously, they survive. Everyone acknowledges that God must have intervened and saved this person, and surely this will be a turning point in their life. Even the person who was spared credits God for the miracle and praises Him for the rescue. But before you know it, that person is drinking and driving again. Everybody is astounded… they really thought this person had changed. But the actions speak for themselves.
Or you may know someone who was overweight and smoked and didn’t take care of themselves and suffered a massive heart attack. For awhile they stopped smoking, lost weight, and seemed to be really making an effort to take care of themselves and the gift of life God had bestowed upon them. But before you know it, you see the person, and the weight is creeping back, and they are lighting up a cigarette. You are dumbfounded. Their actions speak louder than any praise they could ever offer. They may credit God for saving their life, but they are not living in a manner that expresses their gratitude.
The most important thing I got from these scriptures was that it’s one thing to acknowledge God’s healing and blessings out loud… a sort of “look at what God has done for me!” But it is quite another to live it out in our actions and daily behavior. There is nothing wrong with telling others what God has done for you – in fact, you should be willing to share your blessings. But Jesus is telling us that it is even more important that we live it out every day in a way that is clearly evident to others.
Our miracles may not be as profound as an instant healing from leprosy or even restoration after a heart attack or car wreck, but we have all experienced “miracle” touches from God. Does it show in our lives? Can others see the change? Are we bearing witness to what He has done for us?
©2008 Debbie Robus
------------------------------------------------------------------
February 12 ~ Matthew 4:23
From there he went all over Galilee. He used synagogues for meeting places and taught people the truth of God. God's kingdom was his theme - that beginning right now they were under God's government, a good government! He also healed people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives. Word got around the entire Roman province of Syria. People brought anybody with an ailment, whether mental, emotional, or physical. Jesus healed them, one and all. More and more people came, the momentum gathering. Besides those from Galilee, crowds came from the "Ten Towns" across the lake, others up from Jerusalem and Judea, still others from across the Jordan.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
We all know that Jesus healed people of diseases and physical crippling. But did you catch what was said in the first part of this passage? It says he healed people of their diseases – AND the bad effects of their bad lives. To me, that means things like addictions, abusive and aggressive personalities, and mental illness that might cause them to behave badly. It even says, “people brought anybody with an ailment, whether mental, emotional, or physical.
Do you get this? Do you see that it doesn’t matter what is happening to you – God can heal you! If you are depressed, God can heal you. If you are angry, God can heal you! If you can’t stop gambling or drinking or doing drugs, God can heal you! If you can’t stop lying, God can heal you. If you are unkind and abusive, God can heal you! God can heal any and all afflictions. Nothing is to big or too small for Him to handle.
Take your burdens and your “ailments” to God. Ask Him to help you to heal and be restored completely. Ask for guidance to those who can help this to happen for you – medical personnel, psychologists, counselors, ministers. Use every resource God provides, and be healed today in Jesus’ name.
©2008 Debbie Robus
----------------------------------------------------------
February 11 ~ Zephaniah 3:18
"The accumulated sorrows of your exile will dissipate. I, your God, will get rid of them for you. You've carried those burdens long enough. At the same time, I'll get rid of all those who've made your life miserable. I'll heal the maimed; I'll bring home the homeless. In the very countries where they were hated they will be venerated. On Judgment Day I'll bring you back home—a great family gathering! You'll be famous and honored all over the world. You'll see it with your own eyes— all those painful partings turned into reunions!" God's Promise.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
February 5, 2008, was a day for the history books in Arkansas. A severe weather system converged on the state in the late afternoon/early evening, and over 63 tornadoes were reported. At least thirteen people were killed, and many more were injured. The property devastation from Ola to the Missouri border, and again along the eastern edge of Arkansas, is indescribable. Countless families lost everything they owned. Many stepped out from under the rubble or crawled out of basements, tubs, showers and hallways to see that nothing else was left of their home. Cars were tossed and turned. Businesses were leveled. Even hospitals were destroyed.
The next day, I began receiving e-mail bulletins from the Arkansas United Methodist Conference Ministry Team about how we could help. Disaster teams were assembled, and staging areas were established for collecting food, relief, and organizers. Our Bishop sent out a letter to remind us that we are called to more than prayer… we are called to take action in these situations… and the Arkansas Methodists were already rallying.
There was something else Bishop Crutchfield said… “We are an Easter people. We already know the way out of the tomb, out of despair, out of hopelessness. We know the way out from lives that are disrupted, and grief that seems overwhelming. We are an Easter people!” And this made me think… are we taking this to heart? Are you and I truly “Easter people” when disaster comes or tragedy strikes? Long, long ago, Zephaniah spoke a word from God that HE would take our burdens and carry them. HE would heal the maimed and bring homes to the homeless. What a promise for those in Arkansas who are hurting and devastated today! What a promise – GOD’s promise – that someday we will all be reunited as a big family, with HIM as the head of the household. No more pain and sorry will exist – GOD has promised! So take heart, think of Zephaniah 3:18 and remember you are an “Easter people” who know The Way out of despair!
©2008 Debbie Robus
------------------------------------------------------------
February 10 ~ Hosea 14:4
"I will heal their waywardness. I will love them lavishly. Everything you need is to be found in me."
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I was talking with a friend who shared a story about her son. I don’t know the details, but apparently he made some choices that were unacceptable to her, and she told him so. It must have been really bad, because he left, and for ten years, she didn’t even know where he was. A few years ago, the son returned, and my friend said they have “made their peace.” She said, “I never stopped praying. Prayer was all I had, but it was enough.”
You see, my friend understood that God can heal waywardness. He can love lavishly. And most importantly, she understood that everything she needed was found in God. And that’s why she never stopped praying. She stayed close to God and believed that HE would heal her AND her son. She also believed that even if God did not answer in the form of a reconciliation and reunion, she would be okay… and as she told me, her son would be okay, too. That is healing. That is comfort! That level of faithfulness and resting in the comfort of the Lord is my constant goal.
What about you? Are you there yet? Do you rest in the lavish love of God, letting Him heal your waywardness and meet all of your needs? If not, isn’t it time you did?
©2008 Debbie Robus
-------------------------------------------------------
February 9 ~ Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me. He sent me to preach good news to the poor, heal the heartbroken, Announce freedom to all captives, pardon all prisoners. God sent me to announce the year of his grace— a celebration of God's destruction of our enemies— and to comfort all who mourn, To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion, give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes, Messages of joy instead of news of doom, a praising heart instead of a languid spirit. Rename them "Oaks of Righteousness" planted by God to display his glory. They'll rebuild the old ruins, raise a new city out of the wreckage. They'll start over on the ruined cities, take the rubble left behind and make it new. You'll hire outsiders to herd your flocks and foreigners to work your fields, But you'll have the title "Priests of God," honored as ministers of our God. You'll feast on the bounty of nations, you'll bask in their glory. Because you got a double dose of trouble and more than your share of contempt, Your inheritance in the land will be doubled and your joy go on forever.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
My husband and I had only been married a year when a little kitten entered our lives. We named her Tigger. One year later, she had four kittens… we watched them come into the world in an old cardboard box in the living room of our little mobile home. The year was 1976, and we were college students on a strict budget. We couldn’t afford to keep all of the kittens, so we found homes for three of them. Grady and his mother, Tigger, would be our “children” for the next 15 years. After fighting a valiant battle with skin cancer, we had to have Tigger “put down” in 1990. That was our first heartbreak. If you have never owned and loved a pet, you can’t imagine how we ached and grieved. And after that, Grady flourished, because we lavished all of our love and attention onto him as our “one and only.”
Grady developed a thyroid imbalance that led to his death four years later, at the age of 19. This time, we were truly devastated and heartbroken. He was our constant companion and such a joy to both of us, and we loved him with all our hearts. We felt so alone without Grady, and to this day, we miss him and his mother… the way they would cuddle and nuzzle us, their meows and dancing when we would use the electric can opener, the way they loved to roll in the dirt and grass outside and chase birds and leaves and anything that moved. We didn’t see how we could ever love another pet as much as these… and frankly, we didn’t want to try. We sort of wallowed in our grief for awhile.
Four years later, we began to think, “what if?” What if we just went to the pound and “looked” at the kittens. No pressure – we would take our time and find just the right cat. We decided that this time, unlike our first two tiger-stripes, we wanted a black and white cat.
So one warm spring day, I stopped at the pound. There she was… a little black and white kitten sitting in a cage with a huge calico mother and four other kittens, each one a different color. This little “tuxedo cat” was cocking her head from side to side and looking at me as if to say, “whatcha lookin’ at?” I mentally chose her and went home to tell my husband that I really did want this kitten, but there was another I wanted, too. He said, “Well, why didn’t you get them?” So back I went to adopt the kittens! But the yellow and white sister kitten I wanted was spoken for, and that’s when I spotted the calico in the back of the cage, happily running on a hamster wheel. “I’ll take her,” I told the attendant, pointing to the active kitten. And that’s how we got Lucy (the tuxedo cat) and her sister Mabel (the calico).
I won’t tell you that my heart doesn’t occasionally ache for my first cats. But God blessed us with two very different, but very loving new “children” to love and adore, and our lives are rich and full because of the joy they bring us. Oh, sure, there is a LOT of fur at our house now (that’s why they call it FURniture!), but there is also a lot of laughter as the cats chase a toy, each other, or their own tails. There is comfort in knowing that every night Lucy will snuggle close to me as I sleep. There is a joy I cannot explain in watching Mabel sleep in the sunlight - her face so peaceful and perfect. God understood the heartbreak we experienced, and He comforted us… He healed us.
If God understands the heartbreak of losing a pet and comforts us in that circumstance, surely He will also understand and heal when we experience other heartbreaks. Nothing is to great or too small for God to handle. What is your heartbreak today? Are you trusting God to heal you?
©2008 Debbie Robus
---------------------------------------------------------------
February 8 ~ Isaiah 53:2-5
The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried— our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
A few years ago, a woman who worked with me was talking about someone she knew who was ill and received healing, and she quoted Isaiah 53:5 and said, “by His stripes we are healed.” Now, I had probably read this scripture and possibly even studied it in a Sunday School class, but the full impact of it had been lost on me until this day.
Isaiah is foretelling the life of Christ on earth. He is talking about how Jesus will be mistreated, even punished, bruised and beaten for our sins. He points out that God is not punishing Jesus for His failures – because He has none – but rather, God is giving our sins, our bad health, our afflictions of all kinds to Jesus, and through HIS suffering, we are healed.
Don’t miss this! God does not desire that even one of us suffer in any way, shape or form. He wants us to be happy, healthy and whole… and so He sent Jesus to bear our sins, our afflictions, our pain, and yes – our illnesses!
So the next time you or someone you know is ill, remember Isaiah 53:5 and pray. Remind God that He has promised in this scripture that “by His stripes we are healed,” and ask Him to heal you or this person in Jesus’ name. Then be faithful, be patient, and watch God work!
©2008 Debbie Robus
Healing Power - Week 1
February 7 ~ Ecclesiastes 3:2
A right time for birth and another for death, A right time to plant and another to reap, A right time to kill and another to heal, A right time to destroy and another to construct, A right time to cry and another to laugh, A right time to lament and another to cheer
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
”You are in my prayers.” This was the message recently in an e-mail from a friend. However, this person went on to say, “… I have a little doubt about prayer these days, as my uncle seems to keep getting sent back to ‘GO’.” I replied and encouraged this person to NEVER, NEVER EVER give up on prayer, and then I opened my study to Ecclesiastes 3:2, and I knew the rest of the answer.
Do you remember Numbers 12:13 from a few days ago when Moses asked God to heal his sister Miriam? God answered… but He waited several days. It wasn’t time… it wasn’t GOD’s time! You see, God hears our prayers, but Ecclesiastes 3:2 reminds us that there IS a time for everything God does… and that includes healing. He will heal us… in His time. It will also be according to His will, which meant that while even the Apostle Paul was able to serve God, he continued to suffer from what was may have been diabetes. Some people receive their healing and wholeness in heaven. Others are miraculously cured on this earth of what should have most certainly been a fatal disease or injury. It’s all part of God’s plan… and it happens… in His time.
So the lesson is to call on God and then relax and be patient and give Him time to work. Remember… God’s timing and plans are always perfect… and always better than ours!
©2008 Debbie Robus
---------------------------------------------------------------
February 6 ~ Proverbs 15:4
Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Every one of us has been on the receiving end of cutting words, so we all know how badly they hurt. Often that pain and damage lasts a long time. I’ve heard it said that “words are like toothpaste – once it’s out of the tube, you can’t put it back!” And even if someone says, “I’m sorry,” or “I didn’t mean that!” the words may linger and hurt. It is one thing to forgive, but quite another to forget! Sadly, there are those who feel the way to build themselves up is by tearing down others – often with cutting words… criticism, hateful remarks, gossip, or even an unkind tone to the voice.
Kind words; however, do heal and help. Think of a time when you have been in a difficult situation or hurting or in need and someone said something very kind to you. It helped, didn’t it? You might have even said, “thanks… I needed that!” Remember how it felt to be treated kindly… how soothing and encouraging even the person’s tone of voice felt.I hope this scripture will remind us all to speak kind words… to look for opportunities to say something kind (and healing and helpful) to another. I also hope we will remember the damage cutting words can cause. It is my prayer that we will think before we speak and be “healers” rather than those who wound others.
©2008 Debbie Robus
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
February 5 ~ 2 Kings 20:4, 8
Isaiah, leaving, was not halfway across the courtyard when the word of God stopped him: "Go back and tell Hezekiah, prince of my people, 'God's word, Hezekiah! From the God of your ancestor David: I've listened to your prayer and I've observed your tears. I'm going to heal you. In three days you will walk on your own legs into The Temple of God. I've just added fifteen years to your life; I'm saving you from the king of Assyria, and I'm covering this city with my shield—for my sake and my servant David's sake.'"
Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "How do I know whether this is of God and not just the fig plaster? What confirming sign is there that God is healing me and that in three days I'll walk into The Temple of God on my own legs?"
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Hezekiah poses an interesting question. How DO we know that God heals us instead of the medicine? First, one could argue that God provided the medicine, so in essence He was responsible for the healing either way. And that would be a fair assumption. Of course, some could argue that “I didn’t pray, and I was healed anyway, so it MUST have been the medicine!” But that would suggest that God only helps us when we pray, and we know He helps us many times in spite of our unfaithfulness… that God rescues us over and over again when we have done nothing to merit His attention or mercy.
So, what IS the message in these two verses? I believe the answer to Hezekiah’s question – and maybe ours – is in the first part of Verse 4 where God says he has seen Hezekiah’s tears and heard his prayers. To me, this says that God knows our heart and our situation – He KNOWS! Even when we don’t tell Him our troubles, He knows. And God loves us enough to have mercy on us and to bring healing, whether we ask Him directly or not. Yes, He wants to hear from us. Yes, He wants us to look to Him and lift ALL of our burdens to Him. But even when we wallow in self-pity and try all sorts of “home remedies” and “self-medicate,” God sends His “fig plaster” to heal us and set us on the right course again.
This is good news for me. This is peace and comfort in knowing that my Savior has my back. “God’s word!” – let it heal you today!
©2008 Debbie Robus
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
February 4 ~ 1 Kings 13:6
The king pleaded with the holy man, "Help me! Pray to your God for the healing of my arm." The holy man prayed for him and the king's arm was healed—as good as new!
2 Kings 2:21 ~ He then went to the spring, sprinkled the salt into it, and proclaimed, "God's word: I've healed this water. It will no longer kill you or poison your land." And sure enough, the water was healed—and remains so to this day, just as Elisha said.
2 Kings 5:10, 14 ~ Elisha sent out a servant to meet him with this message: "Go to the River Jordan and immerse yourself seven times. Your skin will be healed and you'll be as good as new."So he did it. He went down and immersed himself in the Jordan seven times, following the orders of the Holy Man. His skin was healed; it was like the skin of a little baby. He was as good as new.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
You really owe it to yourself to go and read the first few verses of 1 Kings 13 to get the whole picture of this scripture. It’s really pretty cool. God sends a holy man to the altar as King Jeroboam is about to make an offering. The holy man prophesies that what the king is doing is wrong and that the altar will split in two and the “offerings” will fall to the ground. The king doesn’t like this, and he reaches out to the holy man, and when he does, his arm immediately breaks and goes limp, and the altar splits, just as the holy man prophesied. All of a sudden, the king is begging the holy man to pray to God for his arm to be healed. And the holy man does just this.
I’m telling you, this is a really interesting story, and I hope you will read it for yourself. See, after the holy man heals the king, the king invites him for a meal, and God has told the holy man NOT to eat a crumb with these people. So he refuses. But then one of the king’s sons tracks down the holy man and invites him to dinner and says “God told me to do this” and the holy man falls for it and shares a meal. God is not amused. Read the rest for yourself. And while you are at it, pay attention to the other passages today from 2 Kings.
The point is this… we can’t go around willy-nilly asking God to heal us and our friends and acquaintances and then doing whatever we please. More importantly, when God DOES heal us or our friends and acquaintances, this is NOT the time to drop the ball, get comfortable, and wander off attending to our own agenda! We must stay focused on God. We must pay attention to Him and to His direction for our lives. We must continually ask, “What next, Lord?”
When God works and answers our prayers – when He heals us – it is so easy to settle in and get complacent and start to take Him and His power for granted. We cannot do this! Read these scriptures in 1st and 2nd Kings, and you will see what a slippery slope this can be! Stay focused, stay close to God, and be well!
©2008 Debbie Robus
-----------------------------------------------------------------
February 3 ~ Deuteronomy 32:39
"Do you see it now? Do you see that I'm the one? Do you see that there's no other god beside me? I bring death and I give life, I wound and I heal - there is no getting away from or around me! I raise my hand in solemn oath; I say, 'I'm always around. By that very life I promise: When I sharpen my lightning sword and execute judgment, I take vengeance on my enemies and pay back those who hate me. I'll make my arrows drunk with blood, my sword will gorge itself on flesh, Feasting on slain and captive alike, the proud and vain enemy corpses.'"
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I am not a big fan of fear as a motivator. But we can’t have a true discussion about the Bible and God’s teaching without recognizing His power not only to heal, but also to punish and even destroy. If I told you about a soldier in battle who was facing almost certain death at the hands of a vicious, cruel, and truly a vile enemy, and God intervened and took out that enemy, you would say that was right and just, wouldn’t you? Let’s say that you know someone who drinks, does drugs, and drives, and they are constantly doing things that are destructive for themselves and others. God knows that this person is going to continue down this road, and ultimately, others will be hurt – maybe even killed – because of his/her behavior. In order to protect and save innocent people, God “takes this person out,” so to speak, through an accident or illness. Hopefully the person was a Christian and is taken to heaven.
My point is this. What we sometimes see as hard-nosed, stern punishment by God may in many ways be a double-edge sword -- that is, punishment for some while being protection and “healing” for others at the same time. If God takes one to save many, we must trust that His judgment is right and all-knowing. And He will “take out” those who are subverting His plans for His children – maybe not literally by death, but God has the power to subdue His enemies and those who serve the devil.
So while it is a whole lot more pleasant to think of God as the loving, gentle, grace-filled Father that He is, we must also remember that He has the power to right wrongs and discipline His children, also. I am motivated to serve God because I want to please Him and experience His love, grace and mercy for me. But I am also respectfully mindful of His power to correct me if I get out of line and do whatever it takes to get me back on the right path. Are you?
©2008 Debbie Robus
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 2 ~ Numbers 12:13
And Moses prayed to God: Please, God, heal her, please heal her.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
In order to get the full impact of this scripture, we must explore the background. Moses had married a Cushite woman – someone not of his tribe. His brother Aaron and his sister Miriam were openly critical of this decision AND of God for talking directly to someone who would marry “outside of his race,” so to speak. God loved Moses. While God spoke to others in visions and dreams, He spoke to Moses directly. God was really angry that Aaron and Miriam would be so critical of His chosen servant Moses, so He struck Miriam with leprosy. If you have ever seen pictures of someone with leprosy, you know that it is a horrible, disgusting condition that blisters and disfigures, and I’m sure it is very painful. When Moses saw his sister suffering, he pleaded with God to heal her. And God did just that – after a period of “quarantine” for about seven days.
It would be great if you could go to Numbers 12 and read the whole story yourself. But there are two things I want us to take away from this devo:
1) Moses prayed for healing for someone who had mistreated him. It didn’t matter to him that his own sister had been terribly cruel and critical of his choice for a wife. She was in need; she was suffering; and Moses begged God to fix it! We must learn to be that loving and faithful toward those who have offended or abused us in some way.
2) God loved Moses and his faithfulness, and He rewarded him for being such a diligent servant by healing his sister. BUT… he did not do it right away. He allowed Miriam to suffer for a period of time before the healing. I’m sure she learned a valuable lesson. And I suspect Moses strengthened in patience, too.
Sometimes we want God to help us – and we want it NOW! We have to learn that God is not in the business of bowing to our demands! We must remember that He loves us and wants what is best for us, and He can and will answer our prayers – even heal us and our loved ones. But we must respect His authority and autonomy – and His decisions regarding where, when and how this takes place.
©2008 Debbie Robus
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 1 ~ Exodus 15:26
God said, "If you listen, listen obediently to how God tells you to live in his presence, obeying his commandments and keeping all his laws, then I won't strike you with all the diseases that I inflicted on the Egyptians; I am God your healer."
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
When I was a young adult, the term “healing” brought to mind images of men like Oral Roberts and other evangelists who claimed to be able to “lay hands” on the sick and heal them in God’s name. It was just one of those words we didn’t use… and if we did, we used it sarcastically – “Hallelujah! He/she has been healed!” In those days before video and personal computers, we listened to a lot of radio, and I remember one of the jokes was to “put your hands on the radio (while listing to Oral Roberts or another preacher) and be healed!”
As my relationship with the Holy Spirit has deepened… and even more recently as I have followed the story of Job McCully, I have come to fully embrace and believe in the power of God to heal us… of any and all afflictions. So now, when I have a cold, God is my healer. When there is conflict between two people, I call on God to heal the situation. When someone loses a loved one and is brokenhearted, I ask God to heal them and restore their joy. When someone is struggling with depression, anxiety, or mental confusion, I pray that God will give them mental clarity.
NOTHING is too big for God to handle. NOTHING is beyond His capacity to heal. I am not saying God has given Oral Roberts or others the power to heal in His name. But the Bible tells me God did this in Acts – empowering His disciples to heal others - so why couldn’t He empower 21st Century disciples? “Faith-healer” or not, I do believe that God hears the prayers of faithful servants who call on Him for healing – of any and all afflictions. In the coming weeks, we will explore God’s capacity to heal us… and our faithfulness to receive it. It is my prayer that you will open your heart and mind and allow God to work in all areas of your life, and that you will be well in Christ!
©2008 Debbie Robus
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)